Grow Me Some Therapy

               With spring settling upon us, the snow is disappearing and the grass, trees and bushes are slowly coming back to life. As we prepare to see the blooms and get our gardens ready for the season once again, I started thinking about all the benefits of gardens and flowers. Everyone enjoys seeing flowers and gardens, but it truly is therapeutic and can help one’s physical and mental state. Horticulture Therapy is a successful therapeutic intervention to help people with both physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. It has been proven successful and has a wide range of benefits that are practiced all over the world!

                To facilitate horticulture therapy, a TRS could start a community garden with several different plots for people to use or purchase. They then would plant in their lot, water and care for it, and then enjoy its products, whether they are flowers, vegetables or fruit! Each person could chose how they want to use and care for their garden, either planting seeds or buying flowers to transfer into their garden. Adaptive equipment may be used such as adapted gardening tools with longer or shorter handles than normal for easier use, or adapted handles that can strap on for people with weak hands who maybe cannot grasp the handle. There are also small benches that can be placed in the garden for people to sit on and work from if they cannot bend over for long periods of time. There are kneelers that can be placed on the ground and used for a similar purpose. Raised garden beds or containers can be used for people in wheel chairs to access as well. Some materials you would need to facilitate and therapeutic community garden would be hoses for watering, seeds, flowers/bushes/plants, tools such as spades, shovels, and hoes, watering cans and gardening gloves.

                Some precautions should be taken while facilitating this activity. Since it is an outside activity, some people may get too much sun exposer if outside for a long time or if they are sensitive to the sun. Sunscreen could be provided, along with water for water breaks, umbrellas for some shade, or suggesting they bring their own hats or sunglasses for additional protection. There should also be supervision out in the gardens in case anyone falls or gets hurt using any of the tools. Also, people should be available if people need any assistance with the tools or activities such as lifting dirt or watering cans.

                Horticulture Therapy and a therapeutic community garden could be useful for many populations. The American Horticulture Therapy Association website states that horticulture therapy is very successful with hospitalized war veterans and has many mental benefits. It can be also very successful with elderly, the cognitively disabled, and even physically disabled by practicing motor skills with the tools and movements. Sensory stimulation can occur with flowers with different textures, smells and colors. The act of gardening can be peaceful, relaxing, and cause one to practice movements and body positions such as bending or standing that they need to practice. The benefits from gardening and horticulture therapy are endless and people of all abilities can enjoy this activity!                                        http://www.ahta.org/content.cfm?id=history

Finale of the Final Projects

      This week, we continued the final group projects and began with a group that presented on team building. They did activities such as having everyone hold hands and try to get a hula hoop around the circle by stepping through it and putting it over their head, a game called tooth pick basketball where members of a team needed to drop a tooth pick into a bottle, and a blind folded obstacle course with a partner guiding you. These were good activities because they involved you working together with either your team or a partner and encouraging and relying on each other to succeed. Activities like these could be very useful in Therapeutic Recreation, especially with populations like youth at risk or maybe even alcohol or drug rehab. They encourage team work and trust and encourage people to get over obstacles together. Adapted versions could also be made for people with physical disabilities to work to get past their physical disability and find their abilities.

       The second group presented on drama and began with an activity where we split into our groups and chose an object in the front of the room. My group chose a video game controller and we needed to pretend we found this object while excavating and are trying to figure out what the people of it’s time used it for. Then, we needed to create a commercial for it. My group said the controller was a weapon used at some point in time. After that, they provided us with wheel chairs and we were to create a wheel chair dance number in groups. Half would be in wheel chairs and half would not. We then put on a performance for the rest of the class. The group had one more activity but because of shortage of time, they will facilitate it next week. Their activities were very creative and can be very beneficial for people as a way to express themselves and get away from the real world for awhile. People can be whoever they want in drama and can use several different means to tell a story or get a point across. It could be used as an education tool for children, youth or adults or could be used as recreation and people of different populations could take part in it and present. People who have built up emotions such as those in drug rehabilitation, girls with eating disorders, or people in prisons can participate to express themselves and their emotions. I think watching and participating in drama can really teach you a lot and is a great form of recreation!

       The third and final group presented on relaxation and began with a craft to create stress balls. This was great because it was both a hands on craft activity and a beneficial object to have for relieving stress. Many different populations could participate and benefit from this. Next, they showed us a relaxation video, followed by a guided meditation video. These go through different steps with you to help you relax your mind and body. Absolutely everyone can benefit from stress relieving activity at some point or another. It can be especially beneficial for people who have pain and discomfort. It can help them release tension and temporarily help relieve pain. The stress balls can also be great for people with physical disabilities because they can exercise their hand in a subtle way by just squeezing or stretching, slowly practicing and progressing the movement and control in their hands.

     All together, I think all the groups did a great job and showed how different activities and programs can be beneficial for several populations. They also offered many good ideas and techniques that we can use in our profession as therapeutic recreation specialists!

OA Project

           About a year ago, I heard about an organization called the OA Project that interested and inspired me. OA stands for opportunitas aequa, a Latin phrase meaning equal opportunity. The OA Project works with children in war affected areas and uses soccer to help build a stronger community for them and increase their opportunities by learning about and taking part in community building activities. This organization was created by a group of Canadian students who wanted to use soccer to help children in other countries who did not have much of a childhood due to war and poverty. By playing soccer, they hoped that children would get a break from the pain and horror of war and learn valuable lessons such as team work and self esteem along with feelings of accomplishment.

         OA Project searches for and helps support other local groups and peace building projects that are working to help rebuild the community. They do this in hopes of continuing the help, even when they are not in the community and working with the children. Their mission is, “To be the low-cost, high-impact grassroots organization using soccer to empower youth in communities affected by war.” They have done three projects so far in Uganda, Ecuador and Rwanda and have helped 7,000 children and youth in over 25 communities. They are still continuing their work and continue to connect youth with local leaders. By learning and playing soccer, they discuss important issues such as post-conflict healing and gender violence.

       You can help make a difference in several ways through this great organization. There is a project called Play Soccer so They Can where communities can host a soccer event and raise funds for the OA Project. You can also donate on their website or buy a shirt from their 1 for 1 shop and all proceeds go towards the organization!   This is a great organization and even though they are not specifically therapeutic recreation, their goals and work is similar to that of therapeutic recreation specialists. They aim to use sports and recreation to make a difference in youth’s lives and help ease the stress that war causes in a community by teaching valuable lessons and creating an escape from the sadness and pain. I believe this is a great organization for a TRS to participate in to help make a difference. 

OA Project in Ecuador 

  http://oaprojects.org/  check out their website to learn more or donate!

And the Final Group Presentations Begin...

              This week, we began the first three large group presentations. For our blogs, we are supposed to ask the question, “So what?” and ask ourselves how these projects and activities could be beneficial for different populations. By experiencing them first hand and participating, we got a better idea of the benefits and enjoyment of the activities and are better fit to answer this question.

                The first group had an art theme and did a book craft which included taking old books and turning them into your own new, creative book. We could paint in them, collage them with magazine pictures or tissue paper squares, do bubble painting in them, make widows, which are cut out sections in the pages, or black out words to make only certain words visible and stick out. This craft was very creative and innovative. It was also very relaxing, even for me, to just sit down, be creative, and get away from the stresses of homework and tests. I think this could be very beneficial to many different populations. Like just stated, it is relaxing and could be a form of relaxation or even meditation that anyone could benefit from. It could be good for youth at risk or young girls with eating disorders because it gives them a way to express themselves and write down any thoughts or emotions in the pages if they wish. I also believe elderly could benefit from the craft, but may need assistance with small details or may need to use gloves for sensitive skin or other adaptations if needed.  

            The next group was my own group and we had challenged based activities. We chose to do three different activities, a rope shape challenge, picture telephone, and a marble race challenge. These activities all had the participants working as a team and trying to work past different kinds of challenges. In the rope challenge, the participants were all blind folded except for three players who were to vocally direct and help the other players form the given shape with their rope. This required using both abilities and disabilities from each player and coming up with strategies and techniques to work past their obstacles. The second activity was less physical but included mental challenges such as interpreting and creating. Participants would write a sentence, pass it to the player next to them, and that player would have to draw what the sentence said. They then passed it to the next player who had to interpret the drawing and write another sentence that they think explains the picture. This activity showed how different people can come up with different interpretations and showed the importance of communication and explanation when working with a team facing a real challenge. This activity also gave the players a chance to get creative and enjoy some laughs. The final activity was our marble race, which required each player to have a small segment of toilet paper tube. The goal is to keep rotating once the marble has gone through your tube and continuously role the marble down the course and into the cup at the end. This was a very challenging activity that required team work and strategy. All these activities would be beneficial for people who want to work on social skills. Youth at risk would be a great population for these activities because it helps the participants create a bond through working together and allows people to work on team building skills. Certain ones such as the rope shape game can be used for people with visual impairments and help them use their senses and rely on other people’s vocal cues as well.

                The final group’s theme was music and they had us do several clapping, tapping and snapping activities to create patterns and beats. We then were broken into groups and created our own musical instruments out of things such as bells and string, balloons and beans, and paper plates and beans. We all came together as a group then and did beats and patterns with all our different instruments. The facilitators also did some body awareness techniques with the instruments which required us to shake our instruments over several different areas of our body, making us aware of our motor movements and their position on our body. This body awareness technique is good for populations such as those who may have had a stroke, be bed ridden from sickness or cancer, and those who may have paralysis in certain areas of their body. It makes them become one with the activity and aware of their own movements. Musical therapy can be beneficial to basically anyone, allowing people to be creative, express themselves, and just have fun. Children, elderly, and those with cognitive disabilities could all take part in musical therapy.

         So in the end, the question “So what?” can be answered in many different ways because these activities can be beneficial in several ways. Many populations could benefit from them and get something useful out of participating. Between expressing yourself with art, challenging yourself and learning to work together and rely on a team in challenge based activities, or becoming more aware of yourself and you movements with music therapy, all these activities and interventions could help make a difference in someone’s life!

Anyone Can Find That Special Someone

                I came across a website by accident while searching activities for the disabled, and I found it interesting and decided to blog about it. It was titled Disabled Dating and it was found on a helpful website called Disabled World. It talks about several different dating sites created specifically for people who have a disability.  Some are for people with a wide range of disabilities, while others are for certain disabilities. For example, there are sites for people with visual disabilities to meet other single people who have a visual disability.

                Although I am sometimes skeptical about dating sites, I think it is a good idea for there to be dating sites for everybody, including for populations such as this. I have seen and heard from several different sources that people who have disabilities can often become discouraged with dating. I watched a video about a man who was in a car accident and injured his spine, causing his to be in a wheel chair the rest of his life. He had a girlfriend before the accident but after the accident they broke up. He did not believe he would ever date again or meet someone and he became depressed. Other people with disabilities may be self conscious of their disability and never even try to meet someone. Dating sites for the disabled help with these fears and insecurities and help someone meet other people with disabilities that match their likes and interests. These sites have compatibility match-making, profiles, instant messaging, chat rooms, and other features to help you meet the right person.

                There are of course safety precautions one should take while using a dating websites like this just as there are for any other dating websites. Do not put too much personal information out on the website such as an address, credit card number, or even phone number. Once you have gotten to know someone, you can decide whether or not you want to disclose more personal information. There are sadly dating website scammers who look for information and can either steal from or abuse website users. Some people especially target people with disabilities in hopes of taking advantage of them and their disability. Only use reputable sites and look for warning signs of scammers. Also, if someone were to decide to meet a match in person, meet in a public area and remain cautions of your surroundings. It does not hurt to meet with a group of people as well. In the end, if you remain cautions and use dating websites such as Dating for the Disabled correctly, they can be rewarding and help someone who was feeling discouraged with dating find the right person for them!

I came across a website by accident while searching activities for the disabled, and I found it interesting and decided to blog about it. It was titled Disabled Dating and it was found on a helpful website called Disabled World. It talks about several different dating sites created specifically for people who have a disability.  Some are for people with a wide range of disabilities, while others are for certain disabilities. For example, there are sites for people with visual disabilities to meet other single people who have a visual disability.

                Although I am sometimes skeptical about dating sites, I think it is a good idea for there to be dating sites for everybody, including for populations such as this. I have seen and heard from several different sources that people who have disabilities can often become discouraged with dating. I watched a video about a man who was in a car accident and injured his spine, causing his to be in a wheel chair the rest of his life. He had a girlfriend before the accident but after the accident they broke up. He did not believe he would ever date again or meet someone and he became depressed. Other people with disabilities may be self conscious of their disability and never even try to meet someone. Dating sites for the disabled help with these fears and insecurities and help someone meet other people with disabilities that match their likes and interests. These sites have compatibility match-making, profiles, instant messaging, chat rooms, and other features to help you meet the right person.

                There are of course safety precautions one should take while using a dating websites like this just as there are for any other dating websites. Do not put too much personal information out on the website such as an address, credit card number, or even phone number. Once you have gotten to know someone, you can decide whether or not you want to disclose more personal information. There are sadly dating website scammers who look for information and can either steal from or abuse website users. Some people especially target people with disabilities in hopes of taking advantage of them and their disability. Only use reputable sites and look for warning signs of scammers. Also, if someone were to decide to meet a match in person, meet in a public area and remain cautions of your surroundings. It does not hurt to meet with a group of people as well. In the end, if you remain cautions and use dating websites such as Dating for the Disabled correctly, they can be rewarding and help someone who was feeling discouraged with dating find the right person for them!

I came across a website by accident while searching activities for the disabled, and I found it interesting and decided to blog about it. It was titled Disabled Dating and it was found on a helpful website called Disabled World. It talks about several different dating sites created specifically for people who have a disability.  Some are for people with a wide range of disabilities, while others are for certain disabilities. For example, there are sites for people with visual disabilities to meet other single people who have a visual disability.

                Although I am sometimes skeptical about dating sites, I think it is a good idea for there to be dating sites for everybody, including for populations such as this. I have seen and heard from several different sources that people who have disabilities can often become discouraged with dating. I watched a video about a man who was in a car accident and injured his spine, causing his to be in a wheel chair the rest of his life. He had a girlfriend before the accident but after the accident they broke up. He did not believe he would ever date again or meet someone and he became depressed. Other people with disabilities may be self conscious of their disability and never even try to meet someone. Dating sites for the disabled help with these fears and insecurities and help someone meet other people with disabilities that match their likes and interests. These sites have compatibility match-making, profiles, instant messaging, chat rooms, and other features to help you meet the right person.

                There are of course safety precautions one should take while using a dating websites like this just as there are for any other dating websites. Do not put too much personal information out on the website such as an address, credit card number, or even phone number. Once you have gotten to know someone, you can decide whether or not you want to disclose more personal information. There are sadly dating website scammers who look for information and can either steal from or abuse website users. Some people especially target people with disabilities in hopes of taking advantage of them and their disability. Only use reputable sites and look for warning signs of scammers. Also, if someone were to decide to meet a match in person, meet in a public area and remain cautions of your surroundings. It does not hurt to meet with a group of people as well. In the end, if you remain cautions and use dating websites such as Dating for the Disabled correctly, they can be rewarding and help someone who was feeling discouraged with dating find the right person for them!

                  

http://www.disabled-world.com/communication/disabled-dating/ 

Live, Laugh, Deep Breathe

               This week, we took a break from our busy, stressful schedules and learned about relaxation therapy. We talked about a few different kinds, including laughter therapy, meditation with deep breathing, concentration, or using words and phrases, and guided imagery. We tried a few of these methods such as laughter therapy or laughter yoga, where we breathed in as we reached up in the air with both hands. Then, as we exhaled, we laughed out loud and dropped our arms to our sides. We also did an example of guided imagery by watching a youtube video that had images of nature in the woods. A voice told us to concentrate on different things such as the flowers covering the ground or the water flowing in the stream.

      Relaxation therapy has many benefits and 

can benefit everybody, no matter the population. It can help relieve tension and stress, stimulate your senses, and give you instant results to relax your body. It also creates body awareness and can help connect your mind, body and spirit. There are several different techniques, so you can try different ones and find the most beneficial technique for you and your lifestyle. Whether it is used to help someone cope with struggles in their life or provide temporary relief from a stressful day, relaxation therapy is a successful and simple intervention that a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist could try with anybody!

Perks and Products of Virtual Schools

This week, we had a speaker come in and talk to us about Wisconsin Virtual Schools. He talked about all the benefits of on-line schooling and how it can be especially beneficial for children who may have a disability. He gave us examples such as a child who may have autism and have a hard time concentrating in the classroom or may be effected by distractions such as the florescent lights, buzzing of an air conditioner or noises of other students around them. Virtual schools allow a child to work in their own home setting and at whatever time of the day is most beneficial for them. Virtual schools also target your individual needs and let you work at a more personalized pace.

After his presentation, each group was given a child’s IEP to read and review. Once we learned about the child and their needs and interests, we then developed our own plan for five different therapeutic interventions we may use to help them. My group’s student was a fourth grade boy and working with his interests and needs, we said a few strategies we may use are to get him involved in boy scouts for an opportunity to relax and enjoy the outdoors, build a model car and set deadlines and goals for himself to work on time management, and try cooking and following recipes to work on math skills in measuring and sensory stimulation with different textures of ingredients. By the end of class, we tied together how virtual schools can be beneficial and a good option for students, especially those who may have a disability, and how IEPs help target specific needs and goals for each student. A therapeutic recreation specialist could learn from these methods and also use IEPs for more personalized intervention strategies to help create a positive outcome for the student.

Bungee Jumping for the Disabled

                 An activity that is thrilling and stimulating is bungee jumping. Today, this scary thrill can be available for people with or without a disability. People have many ideas that come to mind when they think about this activity, but some people don’t know the true possibilities with this activity such as the options to go solo, tandem, jump from a harness attached to your chest and waist, or jump from the traditional harness on your ankles and waist. People in wheelchairs and with a disability can also jump and enjoy the sport and contrary to belief, it is actually quite soft on your body!

                For people in a wheel chair or who have had back or spine injury, jumping with a harness attached to your chest or ankles may not be the best. There is, however, a contraption for what they call reverse bungee jumping. It is a large metal ball like structure with seats in the middle that fastens the passengers in with ankle and waist belts and a padded shoulder clamp. There are then two towers with bungees attached to the contraption which slings the ball up into the air and back down several times until gravity slows it down.

                Bungee jumping is still a higher risk activity and definitely requires proper safety equipment and supervision. The website said people who have paraplegia or quadriplegia may want even extra support such as extra belts or Velcro for their neck, legs or torso. Although this activity is on the higher risk end of things, especially for people with physical disabilities, it is still amazing and encouraging that people with disabilities are still given the opportunity to do this high action activity!

http://www.streetsie.com/bungy-jump/